Hellik Brakke Benson

BENDTSEN, BENSON, BRAKKE, PETERSDATTER

Posted By: Deidre Badker (email)
Date: 5/6/2021 at 15:50:54

Hellik (Hellick) Bendtsen (Benson) Brakke was born 1797 at the Brekke farm, Rollag, Buskerud, Norway to Bernt Nielsen Brekke and Anne Haraldsdatter.

He was baptized on June 25, 1797 at Rollag, Buskerud, Norway.

Family found in the 1801 census living at Brekke, Rollag, Buskerud, Norway: Bent Nielsen 59, Anne Haraldsdatter 40, Holge Bentsen 10, Hellik Bentsen 4, Haral Bentsen 2, Helge Bentsdatter 15, Margit Bentsdatter 12, Ragnil Bentsdatter 8, Ingebor Bentsdatter 6, Hellik Kittilsen 72 lodger.

Hellik married Ingeborg Emily Pedersdatter on December 3, 1834 at Rollag, Buskerud, Norway. Believe the couple had 7 children who are found using various surnames - Hellicksdatter, Hellicksen, Bentsen, Benson, Brakke. (Benson seems to be the surname they settled on using.)

Child #1- Gunhild Hellicksdatter (born 1834 in Buskerud, Norway, died in America)

Child #2- Peder Hellickson (born November 1, 1836 at Vaegli, Numedal, Buskerud, Norway, died November 4, 1930 St Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa) (Note: More about him can be found on the Mitchell Co Gen Web site)

Child #3- Bergithe (Betsey) Hellicksdatter Benson (born March 24, 1840 near Drammen, Buskerud, Norway, died December 31, 1902 Rockford, Floyd, Iowa) (Note: More about Betsy can be found on the Mitchell Co Gen Web site. Norwegian records have her birthdate as February 10, 1839 which differs from her obituary.)

In the summer of 1841, Helleck and family left Norway to emigrate to America. They can be found on the "Emilie" ship's list. The family arrived in New York August 3, 1841. Listed: Hellick Benson 44; Ingeborg Pedersdatter 33, Gunnild Hellicksdatter 6, Peder Hellicksen 4 and Bergith Hellicksdatter 2.

They traveled west to settle at Rock County, Wisconsin where a Norwegian settlement existed. Hellick bought 40 acres of farmland in 1848.
Land Patent: Hellik Bentzen
Land Office: Milwaukee
Sequence #: 1
Document Number: 23287
Total Acres: 40
Signature: Yes
Issue Date: Feb 10, 1848
Mineral Rights Reserved: No
Statutory Reference: 3 Stat. 566
Act or Treaty: April 24, 1820
Entry Classification: Sale-Cash Entries
Land Description: 1 NWNE 4TH PM - 1831 MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN No 2 N 11 E 32

Four more children were born to Hellik and Ingeborg at Rock County, Wisconsin:

Child #4- Anne Hellicksdatter (born October 1841, died March 6, 1912 St Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa)

Child #5- Margith Hellicksdatter (born April 26, 1846)

Child #6- Berent (Bent) Hellickson (born August 12, 1848, died October 15, 1936 St Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa)

Child #7- Ingeborg Hellicksdatter (born May 30, 1851)

In the early 1850's, Rev Clausen and friends left Rock County, Wisconsin to start a Norwegian settlement at St Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa. Rev. Clausen returned to Wisconsin a year later to encourage other Norwegian families to move west and settle near St Ansgar. Hellick and Ingeborg were one of those families, selling their Wisconsin 40 acres, and moving to south of St Ansgar, Iowa where they then purchased farmland.

Land Patent
Issue Date: May 15, 1855
Place: Mitchell, Iowa, USA
Land Office: Fort Des Moines
Meridian: 5th PM
Township: 99-N
Range: 18-W
Section: 26
Accession Number:IA0690__.276
Document Number:7629

Family found in the 1856 - 1870 censuses living at rural St Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa:
1856: Hellek Bentsen 62, Emily 48, Gunhild 21, Peter 20, Bergithe 17, Anne 14, Bent 8, Ingeborg 5

1860: Heleck Benson 63, Emily 52, Peter 22, Betsey 20, Annie 17, Bent 11, Emily 9

1870: Helick Benson70, Ingeborg Benson 65

Hellik Benson died on August 3, 1878 at St Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa. He was buried at the Evergreen (First Lutheran) Cemetery at St Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa with the surname Brekke.

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Hellick's wife, Ingeborg Emily Pedersdatter was born October 25, 1807 at Eiker, Buskerud, Norway to parents, Peder Knutson and Ingeborg Hansdatter.

After Hellick's death, she was found in the 1880 census at St Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa:
1880: Isabella Benson 73, Anna Benson 39, Bent Benson 31.

Ingeborg died in 1885 and is also buried at First Lutheran Cemetery, St Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa with the surname Benson.